In April 2021, Doris was in Tulum, Mexico doing what she does best, traveling and dancing at a techno show in the middle of the jungle. One afternoon, she was walking along the ocean and stopped for ice cream. Sitting there with a very dramatic bandage from falling off her bike days earlier, a guy with a man bun, Stephen, happened to bike past at that exact moment. He noticed her, paused, and walked into the same ice cream shop. They stood side by side at the cashier, and Stephen gently asked if her leg was okay. It was a small question, but it felt sincere. As Doris walked back onto the street, she heard someone call out, “Hey!” It was Stephen. He came running, full of energy, and asked for her number. They bonded instantly over Hong Kong and Los Angeles, and before she knew it, he was suggesting they go look for pelicans. She smiled and said yes. They spent the next few days in Tulum climbing tree houses, eating tacos, and watching sunsets over the jungle. It felt easy. Natural. Like they had known each other longer than a few days. Then Doris flew back to Los Angeles where she was living at the time. Two weeks later, she decided to keep traveling, this time to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and invited Stephen to join her spontaneous adventure. Somewhere during that trip, between long conversations and ocean views, they both knew this was more than just a travel romance. A few months later, Stephen moved back to Los Angeles too. That’s when the real adventures began. Road trips through Utah. Attending more techno shows in San Diego and New York City. Traveling across Portugal. And eventually building a life together in Hong Kong, the place they would call home for the next four years. What started with ice cream slowly became a partnership, an adventure, and a home in each other. Five years later, they are still choosing each other. And this time, forever. 🤍